Band drive for standing pin detector



, Fig. I.

BAND DRIVE FOR STANDING PIN DETECTOR Filed May 31, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ERNEST C. WEBB y 5, 1965 EC. WEBB 3,185,477

BAND DRIVE FOR STANDING PIN DETECTOR Fig.3

H i l J 6}? i 1 y llr Al m ag lll INVENTOR ERNEST C. WEBB W i M his ATTORNEYS May 25, 1965 E. c. WEBB 3,185,477

- BAND DRIVE FOR STANDING PIN DETECTOR Filed May 31, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 5.

INVENTOR ERNEST C. WEBB his A TORNEYS United States Patent 3,185,477 BAND DRIVE FOR STANDING PIN DETECTOR Ernest C. Webb, Bay Village, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Cleveland Trust (10., Cleveland, Ohio, trustee Filed May 31, 1962, Ser. No. 199,063 9 Claims. (Cl. 273-54) This invention relates to apparatus for automatically detecting the number of standing pins remaining after each ball is delivered in a bowling game, the remaining pins being detected by passing electromagnetic coil means over permanent magnets embedded in the ends of standing pins. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus of the type described for moving the electromagnetic coil means over the tops of standing bowling pins without interfering with the operation of an automatic pin-setter used to set the pins.

Although not limited thereto, the present invention is particularly adapted for use with an automatic scoring and totalizing system for a bowling game such as that shown in copending application Serial No. 175,865, filed February 9, 1962, now U.S. Patent No. 3,124,355, or Millman et a1. Patent No. 2,590,444, issued March 25, 1952. In such systems it is first necessary, in order to score or totalize the game, to obtain an accurate indication of the pinfall after each ball in the game is delivered. In copending application Serial No. 134,809, filed September 7, 1961, there is disclosed a pinfall detecting arrangement wherein the number of pins knocked .down by each ball is determined by first producing a number of electrical impulses corresponding to the number of pins left standing, and thereafter using these impulses to produce a number of signals equal to ten minus the number of aforesaid impulses. This can be accomplished by providing means in the top or bottom of each pin which can be detected electrically by a proximity device movable along a path slightly above the tops or below the bottoms of standing pins and adapted to produce an impulse by passing over the top or under the bottom of any standing pins. The means in the top or bottom of each pin may comprise a permanent magnet," and the proximity device may comprise an electrical coil assembly, the arrangement being such that the coil assembly will cut through the lines of flux produced by the permanent magnets whereby a current impulse is induced in the coil assembly each time it passes over or under a standing pin. The permanent magnets of fallen pins, however, cannot affect the coil assembly and, hence, will not produce current impulses. By using the current impulses in circuitry including stepping switches and relays, a number of electrical signals can be obtained equal to ten minus the number of current impulses produced by the coil assembly, these signals being equal in number to the number of fallen pins.

In attempting to pass a coil assembly over the tops of the pins when an automatic pin-setter is employed, problems are encountered due to the fact that the pin-setter and its associated actuating mechanism oftentimes fills almost the entire cross section of the alley above the pin deck. Consequently, it is difficult to provide means which will support the coil assembly for transverse move- 8 ment across the pins when the pin-setter is raised and ahead of the pin-setter, problems are encountered'in supporting the guideway at the rear of the pin-setter because of the extensive mechanism located in this area. In certain cases the coil assembly will be in the path of the pin-setter mechanism which moves downwardly 1 when the pins are spotted even if it is moved over into abutting relationship with the kickback plates at opposite sides of the alley. In copending application Serial No. 179,667, filed March 14, 1962, apparatus is disclosed which will sweep'a coil assembly across the tops of pins on the alley, and thereafter automatically rotate the coil assembly into a storage position where it is perpendicular to the long transverse dimension of the alley and out of the path of the pin-setter used to set the pins. An arrangement such as that shown in the aforesaid application Serial No. 179,667 is necessary when the pin-setter mechanism is such that it would engage the coil assembly even when it is moved over into close abutting relationship with the kickbacks.

The present invention is concerned with means for traversing a coil assembly or the like across the tops of pins on a bowling alley pin deck in cases where the coil assembly will be out of the path of the pin-setter when it is in close-abutting relationship with either one of the kickbacks. In this respect, an object of the invention is to provide apparatus for sweeping a coil assembly or the like across the tops of bowling pins, which apparatus will position the coil assembly in close abutting relationship with the kickbacks to permit a normal cycle of operation of a pin-setter.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for preventing damaging shocks or vibrations in the coil assembly and its associated traversing mechanism when it moves into abutting relationship with the kickbacks on either side of the pin deck.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of a bowling alley pin deck showing the arrangement of the standing pin detector of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational or side view of the carriage for moving the standing pin detector across the pin deck; FIG. 3 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV of'FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIVI of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is an end view of the apparatus of FIG. 4 taken substantially along line VII-V1I of FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1., the usual bowling alley is shown having a pin deck 12 with ten pins positioned thereon in the usual triangular configuration and numbered 1 through 10. On either side of the pin deck 12 are gutters 14 and 16, while behind the pin deck 12 is a pit 13. On either side of the pin deck '12 are kickbacks 2t) and 22 which serve, among other things, to separate adjacent bowling alleys. Extending between the kickbacks 2t) and 22 is a facing board 24 which, in accordance with the usual bowling alley construction, covers an automatic pin-setter and its associated mechanism in its raised position, but does not extend down far enough toward the alley to obstruct the View of the pins positioned thereon.

Adapted to pass over the tops of the pins and beneath the pin-setter in its raised position is a bar 28 which forms a core for four electromagnetic coils 30, 32, '34 and 36 spaced along its length. In accordance with the teachings of the aforesaid copending application Serial No. 134,809, filed September 7, 1961, permanent magnets 37 are embedded in the tops of each of the pins 1-10, the arrangement being such that as the coils 3tl36 sweep across the pins, a pulse will be induced in one of the coils for each standing pin, but not for fallen pins. If it is assumed, for example, that the first ball in a frame has been delivered and that four pins have been knocked down, six pins will remain standing with the result that the coils 3036 will produce six electrical pulses which the subtracted from ten in circuitry such as that shown in the aforesaid US. Patent No. 3,124,355, to produce an indication of the number of fallen pins.

From a consideration of the triangular configuration of pins shown in FIG. 1, the necessity for a plurality of coils on the bar 28 will be understood. That is, it can be seen from FIG. 1 that the number 1 pin is directly in front of the number 5 pin. Similarly, the number 2 pin is directly in front of the number 8 pin, and the number 3 pin is directly in front of the number 9 pin. If a single coil were swept across the tops of the pins, a single current impulse would be induced in the coil for both of the pins 2 and 8, both of the pins 1 and 5, and both of the pins 3 and 9, meaning that if all of the pins were standing, only seven current impulses would be produced by the single coil; whereas it is desired to produce ten impulses. With the arrangement of the coils shown in FIG. 1, however, none of the pins covered by any one coil are aligned with other pins covered by that same coil so that the cumulative number of impulses produced by the four coils will always be ten, assuming that all of the pins are left standing. Of course, if certain ones of the pins are knocked down after a ball is delivered, only the cumulative number of impulses corresponding to the number of pins left standing will be produced by the coils. Furthermore, even though certain ones of the pins may slide on the deck to positions where they are directly in front of other pins, the correct number of impulses will always be produced. This is more fully explained in the aforesaid application Serial No. 134,809, filed September 7, 1961.

The bar 28 and the coils 30-36 carried thereby are suspended from a carriage 38 in cantilever beam relationship, this carriage 38 being movable along guideways or tracks 40 and 42 both located at the forward end of the pin-setter and extending between the kickbacks 20 and 22. With reference to FIGS. 2-7, it will be noted that bearing blocks 44 and 46 are bolted to the opposite ends of tracks 40 and 42. Carried between each set of bearing blocks 44 and 46 is a roll 48 or 50, respectively, the roll 48 being to the left in FIGS. 2 and 3 and comprising an idler roll, and the roll 50 being to the right in FIGS. 2 and 3 and comprising a driven roll. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, one end of the driven roll 50 is connected through gears 52, 54 and 56 to a motor 58, this motor being mounted on plate 60 which, in turn, is carried on an inverted U-shaped bracket 62 having downwardly-depending legs 64 and 66 connected to the respective guideways 40 and 42.

The carriage 38 itself, as best shown in FIG. 4, comprises a main body portion 68 provided at its forward end with a downwardly-depending generally L-shaped portion 70, this latter portion being provided at its lower end with a socket 72 for receiving and supporting the bar 28 and the coils 3036 carried thereby in cantilever beam relationship. It will be noted in FIG. 4 that the guideways 40 and 42 are generally C-shaped in cross section. These guideways receive, for sliding movement, bars 74 and 76 which project outwardly from the sides of the upper portion 68 of carriage 38 and are covered or fitted with self-lubricating nylon caps or shoes 78, the shoes acting as anti-friction members between the carriage 38 and the guideways 40 and 42.

With respect now to FIG. 6, it will be noted that a notch or keyway 80 is cut into the upper portion 68 of carriage 38. This notch 80 receives the opposite ends of a spring steel band 82; and, as best shown in FIG. 2, the band 82 passes around the rolls 48 and 50. The opposite ends of the band 82 are held within the slot or keyway 80 by means of set screws 84. Thus, when roll 50 (FIG. 6) is caused to rotate in a clockwise direction by motor 58, for example, the carriage will be caused to traverse the tracks 40 and 42 from right to left as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3. Similarly, when the roll 50 is caused to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, the carriage 38 will be caused to traverse the tracks 40 and 42 in the opposite direction (i.e., from left to right as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3). The spring steel band 82 should be as thin and flexible as possible while at the same time providing the requisite strength. If necessary or desirable, the peripheries of the driven and idler rolls 50 and 48, respectively, may be provided with a resilient outer coating such as neoprene to provide better frictional contact between the band and the rolls. An electrical control system, such as that shown in copending application Serial No. 179,667, filed March 14, 1962 and assigned to the assignees of the present application, may be used for causing the motor 58 to traverse the carriage to the right or left. For purposes of the present application, it will be sufficient to state that a suitable electrical control system will be included which will cause the carriage '38 to be traversed from the extreme right-hand position (i.e., FIG. 1) above the pin deck to its extreme left-hand position when a ball is delivered in a bowling game and strikes the backstop, not shown, behind the pit 18. Upon delivery of the next or succeeding ball, the carriage 38 will then be caused to traverse the pin deck from left to right as viewed in FIG. 1.

With reference to FIG. 5, one side of the upper portion 68 of carriage 38 is provided with an outwardlyextending .bar or projection 86 which engages a rubber pad or cushion 88 on a stop member 90 which is welded or otherwise securely fastened to the right end of guideway 42. In a similar manner, the left end of the guideway 42, as viewed in FIG. 2, is providing with a similar stop member 92 and rubber pad 94 for engaging the other side of bar 86 when the carriage is at its extreme left-hand position as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

With reference to FIG. 7, it will be noted that the track 40 is also provided with an angle 96 at one end which is welded or otherwise securely fastened to the underside of the track. Carried on the inside surface of the downwardly-depending leg of angle 96 is a rubber pad 98 adapted to fit into a recess 100 on carriage 38 and engage a surface 102 provided on a bar or projection 104 extending outwardly from the main body of the carriage 38. As shown, the bar 104 has a similar recessed portion 105 and surface 106 on its opposite side adapted to engage a rubber pad 108 secured to an angle 110 (FIG. 2) at the opposite end of the guideway 44. Thus, the carriage 38 will engage the rubber pads 88, 98 and 94, 108 at opposite ends of the guideways. These rubber pads are of primary importance to prevent a whiplash condition in the bar 28. That is, in the absence of the rubber cushions, a sharp impact at the end of the guideways could cause severe vibration in the bar 28 which would possibly damage the assembly or cause a false indication of pinfall. The necessity for the recessed portions providing surfaces 102 and 106 on carriage '38 becomes apparent when it is remembered that the bar 28 and the coils carried thereby must be moved into abutting relationship with the kickbacks 20 and 22 to permit the pin-setter to move downwardly during a pin-setting operation. That is, the bar 28 must be moved to the side as far as possible, and the recessed portions 100 permit this while at the same time facilitating the cushion effect mentioned above.

Although the invention has been shown in connection with a certain specific embodiment, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made to suit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In this respect, it will be apparent that the bar 28 and the coils 30-36 carried thereby could be swept across the bottoms of the pins in a pit beneath the pin deck in accordance with the teachings of the aforesaid application Serial No. 134,809, in which case the permanent magnets would be in the bottoms, rather than the tops,- of the pins.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for reciprocably sweeping an elongated pin detecting member across the ends of bowling pins positioned on a bowling alley pin deck comprising a guideway extending across said alley at one edge of the pin deck, a carriage mounted on said guideway for reciprocal movement between the ends of said guideway, rolls at the opposite ends of said guideway, a band of high tensile strength material extending around said rolls and secured at one point to the carriage, means for moving said band whereby the carriage will be caused to traverse the guideway while the band moves around said rolls, and means tor horizontally supporting said elongated member on the carriage and above the ends of said bowling pins.

2. Apparatus for reciprocably sweeping an elongated pin detecting member across the ends of bowling pins positioned on a bowling alley pin deck comprising a guideway extending across said alley at one edge of the pin deck, a carriage mounted .on said guideway for reciprocal movement between the ends of said guideway, rolls at the opposite ends of said guideway, a taut band of high tensile strength material extending around said rolls and having upper and lower reaches above and below the rolls respectively, said band being severed at one point along its length and having its opposite ends at the point of severance connected to said carriage, means for \forcibly rotating at least one of said rolls whereby the band will be caused to travel around the rolls while traversing the carriage along the guideway, and means for horizontally supporting said elongated member on the carriage and above the ends of said bowling pins.

3. Apparatus for reciprocably sweeping an elongated pin detecting member across the ends of bowling pins positioned on a bowling alley pin deck comprising a pair of spaced parallel guideways extending across said alley at one edge of the pin deck, a carriage mounted on said guideways for reciprocal movement between the ends of said guideways, said carriage having anti-friction members :slideable on the guideways, rolls at the opposite ends of said guideways and extending between the spaced guideways, a .taut band of high tensile strength material extending around said rolls and secured at one point to the carriage, said band having a transverse width between said guideways which is many times its thickness, means for forcibly rotating at least one of said rolls whereby the band will be caused to travel around the rolls while traversing the carriage along the guideways, and means for horizontally supporting said elongated member on the carriage and above the ends oftsaid bowling ms. P 4. Apparatus for reciprocably sweeping an elongated pin detecting member across the ends of bowling pins positioned on a bowling alley pin deck comprising a pair of spaced parallel guideways extending across said alley at one edge of the pin deck, a carriage mounted on said guideway for reciprocal movement between the ends of said guideways and having anti-friction rnembers thereon slideable on the guideways, bearing blocks at the opposite ends of each guideway, parallel rolls mounted in said bearing blocks for rotational movement and extending between the spaced guideways, ataut band of high tensile strength materialfextending around said rolls and secured at one point to the carriage, means for forcibly rotating at least one of said rolls whereby the band will be caused to travel around the rolls while traversing the carriage along said guideways on said antifriction members, and means for horizontally supporting said elongated member on the carriage in cantilever beam relationship and above the ends of said bowling pins.

5. Apparatus for reciprocably sweeping an elongated pin detecting member across the ends of bowling pins positioned on a bowling alley pin deck comprising a pair of spaced parallel guideways extending across said alley at one edge of the pin deck, a carriage mounted for reciprocal movement between the ends of said guideways, rolls at the opposite ends of said guideways and extending between the guideways, a taut band of high tensile strength material extending around said rolls and secured atone point to the carriage, a bracket connected to the respective guideways and extending between the guideways, a motor means mounted on said bracket, drive means connecting said motor means to one of said rolls whereby the roll may be caused to rotate by said motor means to cause the band to travel around the rolls while traversing the carriage along the guideways, and means for horizontally supporting said elongated member on the carriage in cantilever beam relationship and above the ends of said bowling pins.

6 Apparatus for reciprocably sweeping an elongated pin detecting member across the ends of bowling pins positioned on a bowling alley pin deck comprising a guideway extending transversely across the pin deck and beyond the longitudinal side edges of the pin deck, a carriage mounted on said guideway for reciprocal movement between the ends of said guideway, rolls at the opposite ends of said guideway, a taut band of high tensile strength material extending around said rolls and secured at one point to said carriage, and means for moving said band whereby said carriage will be caused to traverse the said guideway from a first position which is outboard of one longitudinal side edge of said pin deck to a second position which is outboard of the other longitudinal side edge of said pin deck and vice versa, said elongated member being horizontally cantilevered from said carriage and above the ends of said bowling pins.

7. Apparatus for reciprocably sweeping an elongated pin detecting member across the upper ends of bowling pins positioned on a bowling alley pin deck comprising a guideway positioned above the said bowling pins and extending transversely across the leading edge of the pin deck, said guideway having ends projecting beyond the longitudinal side edges of the pin deck, a carriage mounted on said guideway for reciprocal movement between said ends of said guideway, rolls at the opposite ends of said guideway, a taut band of high tensile strength material extending around said rolls and secured at one point to said carriage, and means for moving said band whereby said carriage will be caused to traverse the said guideway from a first position which is outboard of one longitudinal side edge of said pin deck to a second position which is outboard of the other of the longitudinal side edges of said pin deck, said elongated member being horizontally cantilevered from said carriage entirely above the ends of said bowling pins.

8. Apparatus for reciprocably sweeping an elongated pin detecting member across the ends of bowling pins positioned on a bowling alley pin deck comprising a guideway extending transversely across the pin deck and beyond the longitudinal side edges of the pin deck, a carriage mounted on said guideway for reciprocal movement between the ends of said guideway, rolls at the opposite ends of said guideway, a taut band of high tensile strength material extending around said rolls and secured at one point to said carriage, means for moving,

said band whereby said carriage will be caused to traverse the said guideway from a first position which is outboard of one longitudinal side edge of said pin deck to a second position which is outboard of the other longitudinal side edge of said pin deck and vice versa, said elongated member being horizontally cantilevered from said carriage and above the ends of said bowling pins, stop members at opposite ends of said guideway, said stop members being engaged by said carriage at said first position and said second position, and cushion means on each stop member for cushioning the impact of engagement of said carriage with the respective stop members.

9. Apparatus for reciprocably sweeping an elongated pin detecting member across the ends of bowling pins positioned on a bowling alley pin deck comprising a guideway extending transversely across the pin deck and beyond the longitudinal side edges of the pin deck, a carriage mounted on said guideway for reciprocal movement between the ends of said guideway, rolls at the opposite ends of said guideway, a taut band of high tensile strength material extending around said rolls and secured at one point to said carriage, means for moving said band whereby said carriage will be caused to traverse the said guideway from a first position which is outboard of one longitudinal side edge of said pin deck to a second position which is outboard of the other longitudinal side edge of said pin deck and vice versa, said elongated member being horizontally cantilevered from said carriage and above the ends of said bowling pins, stop members at opposite ends of said guideway, said stop members being engaged by said carriage at said first position and said second position, cushion means on the stop members for cushioning the impact of engagement of said carriage with said stop members, rigid members depending downwardly from opposite ends of said guideway, recesses on opposite sides of said carriage each adapted to receive a respective one of said rigid members When the carriage is in engagement with an associated one of said stop members, and cushion means on the rigid members for cushioning the impact of engagement of said carriage with said rigid members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,806,274 5/31 Williams 273-43 2,411,348 11/46 Turner 27354 2,944,819 7/60 Patterson et a1. 27354 X 3,048,398 8/62 Kalbfleisch 27343 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR RECIPROCABLY SWEEPING AN ELONGATED PIN DETECTING MEMBER ACROSS THE ENDS OF BOWLING PINS POSITIONED ON A BOWLING ALLEY PIN DECK COMPRISING A GUIDEWAY EXTENDING ACROSS SAID ALLEY AT ONE EDGE OF THE PIN DECK, A CARRIAGE MOUNTED ON SAID GUIDEWAY FOR RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID GUIDEWAY, ROLLS AT THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID GUIDEWAY, A BAND OF HIGH TENSILE STRENGTH MATERIAL EXTENDING AROUND SAID ROLLS AND SECURED AT ONE POINT TO THE CARRIAGE, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID BAND WHEREBY THE CARRIAGE WILL BE CAUSED TO TRAVERSE THE GUIDEWAY WHILE THE BAND MOVES AROUND SAID 